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Bought furniture you ended up hating? 3 things you can do when you’re stuck

When I moved a few months ago, I went on a bit of a furniture spree with what I THOUGHT was how our place should look. My fiancee being the good sport that he is, didn’t complain that our entire place was going to be glam and girly. I mean, he is marrying ME after all and he knows that comes with all my design pickyness/obsession. I had him out scouting for pieces and he came across the exact dining table I wanted and it was on sale!

When the movers delivered the piece I was horrified. Yes, it was beautiful but it was HUGE and not at ALL right for our place. This is happened before with my office too. I once ordered a chair online that I thought was white when it was actually ivory (grrr!) and I had to swap it out with something else so I didn’t cringe at seeing the white/ivory clash.

That got me thinking about all the other pieces people get stuck with at home and at work –what should you do when you bought a large piece of furniture you no longer want?

1. Sell it

This is pretty obvious but take some pics of that baby and put it up on Craigslist, post it on your facebook/twitter and your own website if you have one. Ask family and friends and let them know that its BRAND new and though you love it, you’re looking for its new home. Don’t expect to get anywhere near what you paid for (unless you have a friend/family nice enough to do that) but be grateful that something so big is off your hands. I always mention the added discounts of not having to pay sales tax and if they pick it up then they don’t have to pay for delivery either.

2. DIY it

I know from experience that some utility pieces, like coffee tables or entertainment centers, can be really standard looking. But instead of spending a fortune on a super unique looking piece, you could just make over the pieces you already have. I’ve recently made over both my coffee table and my entertainment center with temporary wallpaper, and it completely transformed them into unique and cool items. Not only is this a cheap way to create a new look, but it’s also really fun and gives you more of a personal connection to your space.

3. Swap it Out

I do this ALL the time between my office and my house, I swap things out. Sometimes a dining table actually works great as a conference table in your office. Or that ottoman looks way better in your cubicle then by your bed. If you you can’t DIY it or sell it, then look for a place/piece to swap it out with..

I was lucky enough that someone came and picked up the table for only $50 less than what we paid for it, including tax. If this hadn’t have worked out, I would have just dealt with it until I could find a better solution.

Pentel of Americahas supplied the world with the highest quality products for nearly 70 years. We are a leader in innovation with a commitment to excellence. Pentel is the only writing instrument company to receive the Deming Award for recognition of the highest standard of quality. Learn more at www.pentel.com. Join the conversation at www.facebook.com/pentelofamerica.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Pentel of America. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Pentel of America.